When you encounter Max Polyakov take care of the vegetables, pour in the ingredients and stir the pots of soup and stew, you will marvel at how he does those. But you wouldn’t realize that this man just started doing this recently, after spending the better part of his life sitting behind office desks as an engineer.
The Choice of Engineering
While Max Polyakov was not an excellent student, he was very good in math and science in the preliminary schools. Because his interest in exploring whatever he lays his hands on, and to understand their workings and properties, he was advised by the counsellors in his secondary school to choose to engineer. Since he actually had a little mind of his own at the moment, Max Polyakov accepted this advice and chose to be an engineer. However, whenever Max Polyakov is free, he used cooking as a pastime because he loves it. He will experiment with some recipes and enjoy cooking shows like ‘Masterchef’ on TV. He became a mechanical engineer by profession and used cooking to have fun.
Max And His Engineering Job
When Max Polyakov graduated, he went on the job hunting mission, seeking for the job that will pay him more money and ignoring job satisfaction as a criterion for the search. He was later employed by an offshore engineering firm. That was a perfect job in terms of the compensation, but after some time, Max started feeling unfilled. The routine of his work made him a robot and he felt bad about it.
Max Got Depressed
While he started feeling bad and tired about his work, he never contemplated over what the cause could be. He waved it off like one of those things. He saw himself as lazy and unproductive at some point. But he killed the idea of getting a new job once it comes into him. With the compensation, the location of the office and the potentials ahead, this job should not be changed. But his lack of interest and satisfaction continued until he got depressed.
Is There a Dream Job?
Now, the depression started rubbing off on his physical health. Suffocation, insomnia, and headaches kept disturbing him. That was when he decided to resign. His friends, family, employers and all other acquaintances were surprised at the action. He felt good a little for quitting. But, what should be the next move? He has no idea. After some soul searching on what he loves to do, he couldn’t wrap his head around the idea of a dream job.
Cafe Murka Job
Frustrated on the search for his calling, Max Polyakov strolled to the nearby Cafe Murka to relax with a cup of coffee. He normally comes to this small Belgian Cafe Murka to ease out when his head is full. The atmosphere and the inventive cuisine brought a lot of people to Cafe Murka.
However, on one of the evenings, while relaxing and having a coffee, he saw a sign in the Cafe Murka that read, ‘Help Wanted’. Remembering that he needed something doing to keep himself busy and also to raise money for his upkeep, he talked to the manager and resumed the next day as a kitchen assistant. He saw it as something that offered the distraction he needed and did everything effortlessly.
His Attention Was Grabbed
Now, with time, chef Max Polyakov started observing the mechanism of work in the Cafe Murka kitchen. The relationship between the workers, the noises and smells, and the coded language made him love the Cafe Murka job. The organization, contribution by all involved, the fast-paced nature of the job, and the fact that new things happen all the time, impressed him. He came to understand that the real magic of the Cafe Murka takes place in the kitchen.
He also likes the fact that the result of your work as a cook is seen immediately you are through. It’s not abstract. It comes with stress but offers rewards. His interest in cooking grew, and within a few months, Max Polyakov discovered that it is his passion. He learnt the task, built the skills and handled the challenges. He is happy with the job at Cafe Murka right now.